Container for low-to-high level long-lived radioactive waste

Abstract

A radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask, comprising a container for radioactive waste including an outer steel wall, an inner steel wall, a layer of lead located between the two steel walls, a steel base, a steel cover, a volume of quartz sand located inside the container, at least one internal vessel that is surrounded at least partially by the volume of quartz sand; and radioactive waste located inside the receptacle, wherein the radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask further comprises a removable outer transportation canister, wherein the removable outer transportation canister comprises a hollow cylindrical or polygonal body with a lower end and an upper end, configured for fittingly receiving therein the container for radioactive waste, wherein the lower end is closed by a fixed bottom and the upper is closed with a removable canister cover, wherein the hollow cylindrical or polygonal body, the fixed bottom and the removable canister cover are made of at least three layers, an outer layer made of armor grade steel, an inner layer made of high strength steel, and an intermediate layer between said outer and inner layers, said intermediate layer being made of one or more strati comprising ceramic material, wherein said ceramic material is selected from oxide ceramics, non-oxide ceramics and mixtures thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask comprising a container for radioactive waste, said container for radioactive waste comprising:
 a steel outer wall; 
 a steel inner wall; 
 a layer of lead between the two steel walls; 
 a steel bottom; 
 a steel lid; 
 a volume of quartz sand inside the container at least one inner vessel coated at least partially with quartz sand, the quartz sand disposed between the steel inner wall and a vessel wall; 
 radioactive waste inside the vessel; and 
 wherein the radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask further comprises: 
 a removable outer transportation canister, wherein the removable outer transportation canister comprises a hollow cylindrical or polygonal body with a lower end and an upper end, configured for fittingly receiving therein the container for radioactive waste, wherein the lower end is closed by a fixed bottom and the upper is closed with a removable canister cover, wherein the hollow cylindrical or polygonal body, the fixed bottom and the removable canister cover are made of at least three layers, an outer layer made of armor grade steel, an inner layer made of high strength steel, and an intermediate layer between said outer and inner layers, said intermediate layer being made of one or more strati comprising ceramic material, wherein said ceramic material is selected from oxide ceramics, non-oxide ceramics and mixtures thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein any void within the hollow cylindrical or polygonal body of the removable outer transportation canister and radioactive waste storage container is at least partially filled up with quartz sand. 
     
     
       3. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer layer has a thickness of at least 15 mm. 
     
     
       4. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the armor grade steel of the outer layer has a Brinell Hardness, HBW, of at least 3900 MPa according to ISO 6506-1:2014. 
     
     
       5. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner layer has a thickness of at least 35 mm. 
     
     
       6. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the high strength steel of the inner layer has a Brinell Hardness, HBW, of between 2450 and 3675 MPa according to ISO 6506-1:2014. 
     
     
       7. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of at least 25 mm. 
     
     
       8. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises two or more strati comprising ceramic material with a backing of ductile fibers reinforced layer or a metal layer. 
     
     
       9. The radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises two or more strati comprising ceramic material with a backing of ductile fibers, wherein the ductile fibers are para-aramid fibers. 
     
     
       10. A method for protection of a container for radioactive waste from mechanical damage during transport and storage, thereby providing a radiation and impact-protected radioactive waste cask, wherein said container for radioactive waste comprises:
 a steel outer wall; 
 a steel inner wall; 
 a layer of lead between the two steel walls; 
 a steel bottom; 
 a steel lid; 
 a volume of quartz sand inside the container at least one inner vessel coated at least partially with quartz sand, the quartz sand disposed between the steel inner wall and a vessel wall; 
 radioactive waste inside the vessel; 
 the method comprising 
 providing an outer transportation canister comprising a hollow cylindrical or polygonal body with a lower end and an upper end, configured for fittingly receiving therein said container for radioactive waste,
 wherein the lower end is closed by a fixed bottom and the upper is closed with a removable canister cover, wherein the hollow cylindrical or polygonal body, the fixed bottom and the removable canister cover are made of at least three layers, 
 an outer layer made of armor grade steel, 
 an inner layer made of high strength steel, and 
 an intermediate layer between said outer and inner layers, wherein said intermediate layer is made of one or more strati comprising ceramic material, wherein said ceramic material is selected from oxide ceramics, non-oxide ceramics and mixtures thereof; 
 
 placing the radioactive waste container inside said radioactive waste transportation canister, and 
 sealing the radioactive waste transportation canister by firmly closing the canister cover. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of filling up any void left within the radioactive waste transportation canister with quartz sand, before sealing the radioactive waste transportation canister by firmly closing the canister cover.